Updated FDA Guidance on Food Facility Registration Due by Dec. 31

The Food and Drug Administration announced Nov. 18 an update to its guidance on the registration of domestic and foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack or store food, food ingredients, pet foods or dietary supplements. Such facilities face a Dec. 31 deadline for completing their biannual registrations.

The FDA states that in light of an ongoing rulemaking under the Food Safety Modernization Act that proposes to make certain changes to the definition of the term “farm” in 21 CFR 1.227, the updated guidance includes a new question and answer that explains the FDA’s policy regarding food facility registration for farms that also pack or hold raw agricultural commodities grown on a farm under different ownership and that would no longer be required to register if the proposed amendments to the “farm” definition are finalized. Under this policy the FDA does not intend to prioritize enforcing the registration requirement for such establishments. Read more here.